The Virgin Valley Heritage Museum held a program Saturday, Jan. 16 featuring local resident Sam Reber who gave a demonstration on the ins and outs of Dutch oven cooking. Reber explained to about 25 attendees that this method of slow cooking has been around for centuries especially in the west, both old and new.

Pioneers, cowboys and voyagers including the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled with Dutch ovens to prepare meals and bread. “Anything you can cook in or on top of a regular oven can be prepared in a Dutch oven,” said Reber. “I began using the oven when I cooked at hunting camps 60 years ago and continue to do so at 75 years of age.”

Reber began the program preparing four different types of dessert recipes; apple strudel, chocolate-cherry cake, peach cobbler and blueberry dump cake. He quickly whipped up the ingredients and poured them in four Dutch ovens. The ovens consisting of a special cast iron pot with three legs and a top were then placed on hot charcoal coals with additional coals placed on top. Thirty minutes later the group was enjoying delicious desserts straight out of the pot.

Reber handed out his recipes and history flyer on Dutch oven cooking to the delight of the attendees. Museum coordinator Elspeth Kuta thanked the diverse crowd of locals, visitors and snowbirds for attending.